Collapsible container



Dec. 6, 1927-.

' f A 1,651,528 E. r. JoHNsoN GOLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed July 19, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

UNITED STAT-Es EDWARD T JoHNson onennnnninnn,Massircnnsn'rrs. Y

coLLArsI'BLn CONTAINER.

Application led' July 19,

This invention relates to collapsibleA` containers for the shipment of merchandise of various kinds and has for its principal object the provision of a collapsiblecrate or-box of 'firm and durableconstruction, comprising a plurality of interitting members, constituting-the bottom, sides and ends Vof the container, one or more of said vmembers cooperating with the contents of the .container to lock all the members in rigid position.y Another Objectis toprovi-de a knockdown box ofy this type, the several separable parts of which may bev assembled flatwise in a'. vrcompact ebundle for transportation, thus permitting successive uses 'of tlesame container with `-the consequent saving in box material. Further: objects, Lincluding Ethe elimination or the necessityfjof:nails, screws or other fastenings .forassembling the box members, reside' inthe particulandeta-ils of construction hereinafter described:

One? particularly useful V,embodii'nent of the invention is illustrated in the accomp any-- ing drawings of aVv box adaptedfor the shipment of storage batteries for -use 'in automobiles `and finy connection with-'radio receivf ingsets; These batteries are ordinarily shippedfrom` the manufacturer to the dealer orfdistributor in individual containers, which mustbe of firm and durable yconstruction in orderA to prevent damage to the battery case Aor contents.` The? pro-vision of a new container or each Ibattery thus transported entails a. considerable expense and results inA a substantial fvvasterof v`boxv material; for the boxes heretofore "used have been of: such character that-they could noty be used for subsequent shipments or could not economiV- cally be returnedtoT-the sender `forfreshipment ybecauseot their bulkff YThe collapsible boxl hereindes'cribed :possesses all the desirablek features of indestructibility of: the former containers, and in addition maybe returned to the senderginaicompactpaclrage at slight expense to be used in transporting shipments of individual batteries.

ln the drawings, illustrating-a preferred orm-of any Vcollapsiblefbattery container,

Fig. 1 is a'plan view of the assembled containery or box, with a cornerpoition broken away; 1

Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the assembled 1926. serial-No. 123,318.

box, with a lower corner portion brokeny away;

Fig, 3 is an end Lview 01"' the box;

- Fie' 4 is an edgeviewoioneotthe side members. of the box; l'

Fig. fis a plan view of the member shown in Fig. 4;' 1

Fig.'6 is a plan view ofthe bottom mem# ber;

Fig. 7 ber; Y Fig. 8 is an elevation of an end frame Fig, 9 is a vertical section on thelne 9-9 of 'Fig.r8 ;g fj Fig.r 10 is a perspective view of anend locking member;

F ig.ql1 is a plan View of a cover `which may be used to. `close and Y Y Fig.v l2 isfa horizontal section 0n-the line 1%-12 ofF-ig-ll1. v The collapsible container thus shown com prises a substantially rectangular box consisting essentiallyv of a bottom s member represented generally` as V A, a' pair offsimilarly constructed side members B, identical end locking members C, andV apair ofend frames D, each member being composed* of a framework "of relatively;` thin, but2 strong strips suitably joined together; The material `from'which saijdmemb'ers-maybe fab'ri cated may .beefany lsuitably rigid material, such as metal, composition material,'0r wood asillustrated. Then dissembled 'these mem'- bers may be readily laid substantially lflat.- vwise upon one'l another; for convenient ,packaging yet they maybe quickly assembled@v intor a containerthefvarious ,portions oi," eachelement abutting 2co-operating `poi"- tionsofi an adjacent member, as hereinafter describedfto' constitute an Vintertitting lstrucis an edge view of the bottom memythe top ofthe box;

ture adapted'to hold Yabattery -for shipment Vwithout thefemployment' "of nails or other fastemngs to connect the various members.

Although 'batteries are customarily shipped` in abox 'without a coverin carfload` or truck shipments, a surroundinglistrap lbeing employed to hold ,the battery-1in 'the open b'o'x, acove'r elementfE may be provided as desirediforbatteries;or 'other' merchandise. 'I"l 1e^bottom member Aconsi'stsof a pair of fiat,- relati-vely wideA strips'l; joined to` surfaces.

gether but spaced apart b f narrow cross cleats 14, nailed to the un er side thereoiE intermediate the ends of strips 13. The top surface of the ends of each ot the strips are cut away at 15 to provide shoulders 16, to cooperate with the bottom edge of end lockiner members C, as hereafter explained.

i LFach of the side members` B comprise a pair of longitudinal strips 17 held in spaced apart parallel relation by two pairs of cross cleats 18 and 19 on their respective outer Cleats 19 are fastened flush with the ends of strips 17 and are shorter than cleats 18, the outer corners of strips 17 being cut away at 20, and cleats 19 being spacer from the respective cleats 18 a distance approximately equal to the width of one of the cleats which are preferably ofthe same thickness and width in each instance throughout the constructing of the various members.

Locking members C each consist of wide vertical strips 21, connected by a wide horizontal strip 22 intermediate the ends of strips 21, so that either of the ends of the strips 21, for example the ends 23 may lit the cut away portion 15 of bottom member A, with one side surface abutting shoulder 16.

The end frames D each comprise an open rectangularm frame composed of horizontal strips 24 and vertical strips 25 which may be connected at their abutting ends by tongue and groove joints. Horizontal strips 26 are also nailed across the top and bottom Jortions of this frame as strengthening mem ers and co-operating abutments for the locking member C. The strips 24, 25 and 26 are each preferably of the same Width as the cleats referred to above, and the `distance between the strips 26 should approximate the length of the cleats 19 of member B.

In assembling the separate members into a box structure, the end frames D are placed in upright position as in Fig. 9, spaced from each other so that the side members B may be inserted in place with the vertical strips 25 of member D fitting into the spaces between the respective strips 18 and 19 ot member B (see Fig. l). Bottom member A is then rested upon the bottom strips 2-1 ot frames D, the ends of the longitudinal strips 13 of member A abutting the cross strips 26 of end frames D, and the cleats 111 abutting and spacing apart said bottom strips 24, as shown in Fig. 2. Locking members C may be then inserted in place, the respective bottom edges 23 of strips 21 fitting into the cut out ortions 15 of the longitudinal strips 13 of liottom member A and between the shoulders 16 and the cross strips`26 ot the end frames as indicated in Fig. 2. The lower edge of horizontal strips 22 may rest on strips 13 to hold the locking members upright, but it is intended that the contents of the box will keep said locking members in position, the upper edges of strips 21. thereof heilig restrained from outward movement by the respecthf'e upper cross strips 26, and from vertical movement by upper strip 21M. i

It is thus apparent that, when the assembled box contains a battery or other merchandise between the longitudinal strips 22 oi the locking members, the assembled members are held in rigid relation withrespect to each other by the interlitting constructional details above described, without the employment oi extraneous iastenings. It is also obvious that, if it be desired to have a completely enclosed container the open spaces in the structure illustrated may be closed Btl by additional strips or cleats or by employing strips of greater width.

It it is desired to close the top of this collapsible box, a cover, of simple but unique construction, such as illustrated in Figs. 11

and 12, may be utilized. The cover E con` sists ot two relatively wide, longitudinal strips 217, held in spaced parallel relation by cleats 28 nailed thereto, and a third-longitudinal strip 29 fitting between, and slidable longitudinally of, the stri s 27 a cross cleat 30 nailed to strip 29 holts strip 29 in position and slides upon the top surface of strips 27, the cleats 28 preventing upward movement of the ends oi strip 29. The cleats 28 are spaced from the ends of strips 27, respectively a sufficient distance to permit said ends to be inserted under either of the upper cross strips 24, of end frames D.

In use, either end of the respective cover strips 27 may be so inserted and one end ot the intermediate strip 29 may be slid under the similar strip 24 at the opposite. end of the box. It is contemplated that, when such a cover is used, it will be necessary' to depress the box contents slightly when aiiixing the cover, so that frictional engagement between the strip ends and the end fralnestrips 24 will hold the cover in place.

A box constructed as above set forth especially adapted for the purpose described, but may be used for other purposes with but slight and obvious changes in details. YIt is also apparent that various modifications may be made in the construction shown without departing from the essence of my invention or defined in the following claims. 1t is contemplated, for example that the locking member, herein referred to as the end member D, may form a part of the side or the bottom of the box with slight modification in structure and arrangement, if desired. It is also contemplated that the assembled box may be of sufficient size to contain a plurality of batteries for shipment.

Having described my invention, what l i claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. knockdown box comprising a bottom CIK member, a pair of similar side members, a pair of similar substantially rectangular, end frames, and a pair of similar locking members, all arranged in interlitting relation to constitute a substantially V rigid box structure, the end frames fitting around andA enclosing the respective ends of-said bottom and side members', and said locking members being arranged at the ends of the box structure Within said frames and substantially at right angles to, and resting on, said bottom member, whereby the side members and bottom member are held in fixed position, Within the end frames, removal of said locking members permitting ready separation of the other of said members from each other.

. and a pair of locking members, each of said 2. A knockdown boX adapted for the shipment of storage battery cases comprising a bottom member, ar pair of side members, a pair of substantially rectangular end frames,

members being constructed of relatively thin, longitudinal, rigid strips and thin,

rigid cross cleats fastened thereto and all being arranged in interfitting relation to constitute a substantially rigid box structure, the end frames enclosing the respective ends of the bottom and side members and the vertical strips of said frames between cooperating cleats of the side frames, and said locking members being arranged Within the plane of said end frames, the lower edges of the `locking members engaging shoulders adjacent the respective ends of the bottom member, and the upper edges thereof being held in place Within the respective end frames by the battery box contained Within the box structure, removal of the battery boX and the loc-king members permitting ready separation of the other members from each other, so that they may be packaged in a compact bundle for shipment.

vIn testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

. EDWARD T. JOHNSON. 

